With four kids dressing up for Halloween each year, I had to find some unique ways to save money on those costumes. Two of the kids have now outgrown dressing up. It’s “not cool anymore mom”. But I still find ways to save on the youngest kids costumes. Check out my top tips below:

Organize a costume swap with friends: We have done this quite a few times when my kids were younger. Many years the kids only wore their costumes 1-2x. So, they were like new the next year and had plenty of wear left for the next child to use. We would plan a get together for the first week of October and lay out all the costumes to browse through.

Make your own costume: If you’re crafty, use your skills to make your child’s costume. It can be as easy as the old white sheet to make a ghost, or get the sewing machine out and get to work!

Use what you have: We have done this a few times over the years. Thankfully, my boys wanted to be a baseball player or my girls wanted to be a princess. Since the boys played Little League, we always had a uniform around the house. And my girls had the princess trunk filled with dresses, feathery boas, plastic heel shoes, and more. Easy peasy! And it saved me lots of dough.

Buy used: Head out to the thrift or consignment shops in your area and browse through the costumes. They usually start to pull them out the end of September. Start early for the best selections.

Shop AFTER Halloween for the following year: The day after Halloween, costumes go on clearance. They usually start at 20% off and eventually end up at 90% off! Don’t forget accessories and decorations while you’re at it!